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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello Kelsey:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I agree with Amber- the Michigan Notary Association is a good organization. There can be a fair amount of liability for notaries regarding some documents. Estate and power of attorney documents can be commonly contested, there is much fraud
with estate and land documents. Unless someone is very well versed in these areas ( REALLY well versed) and has generous liability insurance, it is likely not worth the risk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you wish to proceed, I would follow Amber’s advice AND also confer with the library’s attorney and insurance agent before proceeding.<br>
<a href="https://www.michigannotaryassociation.org/13-reasons-notaries-could-be-sued">https://www.michigannotaryassociation.org/13-reasons-notaries-could-be-sued</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I hope this is helpful!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Clare<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Clare D. Membiela, MLS, J.D.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Library Law Consultant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Library of Michigan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="mailto:MembielaC@michigan.gov"><span style="color:#0563C1">MembielaC@michigan.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">517-335-8132<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">The research and resources above are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice
with respect to any particular issue or problem.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPSMT",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-autospace:none"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPSMT",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">“the State may not, consistently with the spirit of the First Amendment,
contract the spectrum of available knowledge</span></i><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPSMT",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">.”</span></i><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">
</span></i><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, 482 (1965).<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Michigan’s
<a href="https://www.michigan.gov/mde/resources/michigan-top-10-strategic-education-plan">
<span style="color:#467886">Top 10 Strategic Education Plan</span></a> provides focused direction to drive educational achievement in support of all learners.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><img border="0" width="185" height="28" style="width:1.927in;height:.2916in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DC06CE.E469F090"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Nourishing Michigan’s Future during the summer!
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Find a Summer Food Service Program site nearest you and encourage Michigan’s children to Meet Up
and Eat Up! <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/meetupeatup"><span style="color:#467886">Michigan.gov/MeetUpEatUp</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="197" height="38" style="width:2.052in;height:.3958in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.png@01DC06CE.E469F090" alt="Michigan.gov/Vote logo
Description automatically generated"></span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at
<a href="https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/"><span style="color:#467886">Michigan.gov/Vote</span></a>.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Michlib-l <michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Amber Hughey via Michlib-l<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 6, 2025 12:27 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Director <director@indianriverlibrary.org>; Director via Michlib-l <michlib-l@mcls.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Michlib-l] Notary Question<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<strong><span style="font-family:"sans-serif 10pt",serif;color:black">CAUTION: This is an External email. Please send suspicious emails to
<a href="mailto:abuse@michigan.gov"><span style="font-weight:normal">abuse@michigan.gov</span></a></span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I highly recommend training from Leslie Hocker with the Michigan Notary Association. There is a lot of information that (in my experience) most notaries do not realize.
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">We (Bridgeport Library) do not notarize closing documents or quit claim deeds. With quit claim deeds, there is a lot of fraud going on, leading to potential lawsuits.
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hope this helps! <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Amber Hughey <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Bridgeport Public Library. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">On 08/06/2025 12:11 PM EDT Director via Michlib-l <<a href="mailto:michlib-l@mcls.org">michlib-l@mcls.org</a>> wrote:
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Good afternoon, <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">In the past year, our library began offering notary services to the public and I am the designated notary. I noticed that some libraries do not notarize real estate documents or estate documents, like trusts, wills, Power of Attorney, deeds,
or closing documents, even though I believe technically Michigan notaries would have the authority to do so. Is there a reason for this? Our library is located in a very rural area and there are not many options for finding a notary, so we often receive these
requests and I would like to help if possible. However, I do not want to start notarizing these documents if there is good reason not to.
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I would be happy to share responses if anyone would like to have them as well. Thank you in advance!
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Thank you, <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Kelsey Rutkowski <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">--------------------------------------</span></strong>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Library Director</span></strong>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:#38761D">Indian River Area Library</span></strong>
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<p class="MsoNormal">3546 S Straits Hwy <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">PO Box 160 <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Indian River, MI 49749 <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">(231) 238-8581 <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://indianriverlibrary.org/" target="_blank">indianriverlibrary.org</a>
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